Done to Death, by Jove

This English duo represent the unique opportunity that the Fringe offers to see ‘bite size’ performances by incredibly skilled and talented performers who create what is very loosely described as a murder mystery.

Gavin Robertson comes from a physical theatre background and has a theatre pedigree as an actor, writer, teacher and director and producer. Winner of international and national UK theatre awards for television and stage, he has also turned his hand to crafting youth theatre and directing Bollywood films.

Nicholas Collett is an award-winning actor, director, writer and producer who trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where he won the Comedy Prize. A regular at Edinburgh and on the West End, he is also well known for an extensive body of work on stage, television and internationally. In 2018 he directed That Daring Australian Girl starring Adelaide’s own award winning Joanne Hartstone, which won Best Theatre award at the Adelaide Fringe. He has a fruitful partnership with Gavin Robertson since 2011, and together they have created five solo shows. Done to Death, by Jove is testament to the combination of the right two performers who have honed their skill and partnership to create 60 minutes of laugh out loud silliness that, ironically, by the end starts to become believable!

The set is simple and looks deliberately ‘thrown together’ at the last moment. The costumes are sparse, sometimes looking like rejects from the ‘dress up box’ and the often tattered hats are plentiful (and able to talk and act independently). You really have to see the show for that to make sense. The lighting is basic and the sound is most often out of order. Why you ask?

It seems that the company of six actors had a mishap. The truck with four of the cast, the elaborate backdrop, gorgeous costumes and scintillating sound has broken down on the freeway. But Sir Gavin and Sir Nicholas decide that the show must go on and they will do it all and cover everyone’s parts. Holmes and Watson, Miss Marple and Poirot, Bill Warren the salt of the earth but suspicious factotum, Mr Pinna the florist who is a flutist, Mr Fortescue with a scintillating sibilance and the Scottish twin sisters who all make appearances create ridiculous mayhem. The use of spot on accents, often changed mid-sentence as Sir Nicholas or Sir Gavin realise they have to be two or more people, is a theatre class in itself.

I won’t tell you ‘whodunnit’ or even if these hapless thespians work it out. Hurry along this week as the season is short for a laugh out loud show presented by two very skilled performers whose ‘comedy chops’ are impeccable.

Jude Hines

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